Page:Halek's Stories and Evensongs.pdf/203

 was a kind of challenge, at least it prompted our three young friends to yet greater activity.

Vojtech did not feel altogether a stranger, he felt half their guest and half their host.

Then Lidunka also ran among them, but only as she said to prevent her little brother from over-exerting himself. She took him by the hand and led him to their mother. But here he dodged under her wrist and ran off to the others calling back as he did so that he was happier with Pan Vojtech and that Lidunka might stay with their mother if she chose.

Then they reached the beautiful Prokop valley. The children climbed down the rocky sides like young kids until Pani Horska felt alarmed for their safety. Vojtech and Lidunka one at each side assisted her to descend.

Down below they took a light breakfast. Pani Horska ordered dinner, and then they walked about. Vojtech knew the valley well and led them to all the spots where young people invariably exclaim, “How charming it is!”

There was still plenty of time before dinner, and down in the meadow they took part in a round game. They played at “la grace”, and during the amusement it happened that every circlet which Vojtech sent was driven by the wind towards Lidunka. Vojtech was transported with delight. He felt like a child in its own home roving over a meadow; only everything seemed yet more charming. Once he threw the circlet in such a wonderful way, that it ran along Lidunka’s extended stick as far as her shoulder and also slipped over her head so that Lidunka was entangled like a quail in a noose.

The children burst into loud laughter and Vojtech ran to help her out of the circlet for she could not disentangle herself alone. But even both together were not very successful and as though it did it on purpose, the circlet always slid again over Lidunka’s neck. Vojtech had to touch Lidunka’s neck with his fingers and let them play over her face, but so gently that he stroked rather than touched it. The children skipped about laughing. Lidunka’s face burnt like fire but at the same time she did not seem to be deeply disconcerted by the mishap. At last the circlet was disentangled and Vojtech smoothed down her hair which had been all dishevelled by the circlet. Then he took Lidunka’s elbow in one hand and showed her how she ought to pose her shoulder in order to catch the circlet adroitly.